Typewriting machine



Nov. 5, 1935,

TYPEWRIT ING MACHINE Filed May 2, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 /r r Vg l! IUI/ILM IYUUI Il Il Il H [I H Il H MH Il Il Il IIH Il AIl Il Il Il Hill [lill H ATTORNEYS A. UTZ

Nov. 5,'11935,

TYPEWRITING MACHINE Filed May 2, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTO RN EY5- Nov. 5, 1935. A. UTZ 2,020,223

u TYPEWRITING MACHINE- Filed May 2, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 7 INVENTOR .Ani/zong ZZ, BY 2a/MM2, fmlf ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 5,2 1935 -UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE 2,020,223 Y TYPEWRITN G MACHINE Anthony Utz, Hartford, Conn., assigner to Royal Typewriter Company, Inc., New York, N. Y., a 'corporation of New York Application May 2, 1935, Serial No. 19,471

15 Claims. (Cl. 197-33) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in typewriting machines generally, although more particularly to a machine wherein the spring tensions of the type actions are adjustable to vary the strengths of the springs to suit the individual operator.

Among the lseveral objects of the invention are to provide a manually operable actuator for an adjustable anchor plate to which the springs are connected, and which is located at the front of the machine, whereby the operator may view an indicator which is associated with the actuator and whereby the latter may .be readily operated whenever it is desired to vary the tensions of the springs.`

In the drawings:- I A Figure l is a side elevation of a typewriti machine embodying my invention, certain of the parts being shown in dotted lines,

Figure 2 is a front elevation thereof, some of the key levers being omitted for the sake of clarity, I

Figure 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1, the key levers,`

however, being omitted,

Figure 4 isa top plan view showing particularly the means for pivotally supporting the anchor plate, the front plate of the machine being shown in section, l l

Figure 5 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through the machine,

Figure 6 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view through the machine showing particularly the means for supporting the anchor plate, the spring connection between the plate and one of the front links, together with the actuator for adjusting the anchor plate,

Figure 7 is a detail perspective view showing a slightly dilerent form-of scale indicia than is shown in Figure 2, and

Figure -8 is a front elevation of a still further modified form of scale indicia.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, I

have illustrated my inventionv as being applied toa Royal portable typewriting machine, although it will beunderstood that the invention may be applied equally as well to other known machines. e Y

The general frame-of this vmachine includes a main frame A and a supplemental frame or mask B, the latter being removably attached to the formerin the well knownmanner. .The main frame A includes side walls 5, 5 which support the usual typewriter carriage C having the usual platen 6 `mounted thereon. l'Ihe walls 5,15 are connected at a point in advance of the carriage C by a front wall l, and located directly above said front wall 1 is a frontplate 8 which forms a part of the mask B of the frame.

A plurality of type actions are located within the frame and include type bars 9 which are arranged side by side between said front plate 8 and the platen 6. The type bars 9 are pivoted on an arcuate rod I 0 carried by a segment II.` A

plurality of key levers I2 which are respectively l0 associated with the type bars 9, are pivoted to swing about a transverse rod I3 supported by the side walls 5 of the main frame A and operate in upwardly extending slots I4 formed in the front wall 1. Operating connections are prol5 vided between each type bar 9 and the associated key lever l2 for swinging the type bar upwardly and rearwardly to contact the platen 6 upon depression rof the key lever. These sets of operating connections include a plurality of front links I5 which are pivotally mounted upon a pivot rod 20 I6 supported by the front wall 'l above the key levers I2 and are respectively connected to the heel extensions o f the type bars 9 by links Il. The key levers I2 are respectively provided with upstanding arms I8 having pin and slot connec- 25 ing movement and also function toyieldably re- 35 tain the associated key levers I2 at the upper. ends of the slots vI4 and against a stop 2l which is mounted on the front wall 1.

The upper ends of these springs 20 are connected to a vertically adjustable anchor plate22 which is disposed directly in rear of the front plate 8 of the frame and extends transversely of and is common to all oi said front links I5. The anchor plate 22 is provided at its ends with rearwardly and downwardly inclined lever arms 23, 23 which 45 are`-fulcrumed on pivot, screws 24,` 24 attached to the side walls 5, 5'of the main frame A. The ends of the lever arms 23 extend rearwardly beyond the pivots 24 to form short arms 25, 25, and counterbalancing springs 26, 26 are connected at their 50 upper ends to said short arms 25, 25 and at their lower ends to the side walls 5, 5 of the main frame. It will be observed that by moving the anchor plate 22 downwardly towards Athe front links, the

tensions of the springs 20 will be simultaneously and uniformly reduced, whereas by moving the anchor plate upwardly away from the front links, the tensions of the springs will be simultaneously and uniformly increased.

To this end, I have provided an actuator bar 21 which is positioned intermediate the front plate 8 and the anchor plate 22 for movement along a straight horizontal line. The anchor plate 22 is provided with spaced inclined cam slots 28, 28, the angles of inclination being identical and the slots being located equidistant from the ends of the anchor plate. The actuator 21 is provided at its ends with downwardly extending arms 29, 29 which terminate in rearwardly extending cam fingers 30, 30 engageable in the cam slots 28, 28. The arms 29, 29 have a sliding engagement at 29', 29' with the upper part of the front -wall 1. Extending upwardly from the actuator and rigidly connected thereto is a guide 21 which is sldable between the guide rail 33 and the front plate 8. Thus when the actuator 21 is moved to the right as viewed in Figure 3, the anchor plate 22 will be moved downwardly and the tensions of the springs 20 will be reduced, and when the actuator is moved to the left the anchor plate will be raised and the tensions of the springs will be increased. The anchor plate actuator is thus mounted through the medium of a 3-point support consisting of the guide 21' and the arms 29-29, and by reason of this construction the actuator will remain against movement in any position of its horizontal adjustment. Cooperating with the actuator 21 to retain the same in sliding contact with the front plate 8 is a guide rail 33 which is secured to a. iiange 34 which extends rearwardly from the upper edge of said front plate 8, by screws 35. i

Rigidly attached to the front edge of the actuator 21 is a combined finger-piece and indicator 36 and associated with the slot 32 of the front plate 8 are scale indicia with which the combined finger-piece and indicator 38 is adapted to cooperate to indicate to the operator the position of the anchor plate 22 and the resultant tension of the springs 28. In Figure 2, these indicia are shown as consisting of a plurality of spaced marks 31, a minus sign 38 at the left hand end of the slot and a plus sign 39 at the right hand end of said slot. In Figure 7, I have substituted the let` ter L as indicated by the reference numeral I0 and the letter H as indicated by the reference numeral 4I for the minus and plus signs 38 and 39 of Figure 2, signifying a high and a low tension of the springs 20. In Figure 8, I have disclosed consecutive numerals 42 associated with the respective spaced marks 31, these numerals consisting of 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 and commencing at the left hand end of the slot 32.

From the foregoing, it will be observed that the anchor plate 22 may be readily adjusted either upwardly or downwardly with respect to the front links I5 by the operator who merely shifts the actuator 21 to the right or left through the medium of the combined finger-piece and indicator bar and the lever, of an anchor plate located above said connections, coil springs respectively connected to said operating connections and to the anchor plate, and a single means cooperating with the anchor plate on opposite sides of the 5 center thereof for bodily adjusting the anchor plate towards and from the operating connections to vary simultaneously and uniformly the tensions of said springs.

2. In a typewriting or like machine, the comlo bination with type bar actions arranged side by side, each action including a pivoted type bar, a key lever, and operating connections between the bar and the lever, of an anchor plate extending transversely above and common to all of said l5 operating connections, said anchor plate being mounted to swing upwardly and downwardly relative to said operating connections, coil springs respectively connected. to said operating connections and to the anchor plate, and a single means 20 cooperating with the anchor plate'on opposite sides of the center thereof for bodily adjusting the anchor plate towards and from the operating connections to vary simultaneously and uniformly the tensions of said springs.

3. In a typewriting or like machine, the combination with type bar actions arranged side by side, each action including a pivoted type bar, a key lever, and operating connections between the bar and the lever, of an anchor plate located 30 above said connections, coil springs respectively connected to said operating connections and to the anchor plate, and a single manually operable means having cam connections with the anchor plate on opposite sides of the center there- 35 of for bodily adjusting the latter towards and from the operating connections to vary simultaneously and uniformly the tensions of said springs.

4. In a. typewriting or like machine, the combination with type bar actions arranged side by 40 side, each action including a pivoted type bar, a keylever, and operating connections between the bar and the lever, of an anchor plate located above said connections, coil springs respectively connected to said operating connections and to 45 the anchor plate, said anchor plate being provided with an upwardly inclined cam slot, and a manually operable actuator movable in a straight horizontal line and engageable with said cam slot for bodily adjusting the anchor plate towards and 50 from the operating connections to vary simultaneously and uniformly the tensions of said springs.

5. In a typewriting or like machine, the combination with type bar actions arranged side by side, each action including a pivoted type bar, a key lever, and operating connections between the bar and the lever, of an anchor plate locatedabove said connections, coil springs respectively connected to said operating connections and to the anchor plate, said anchor plate being provided with horizontally spaced upwardly inclined cam slots, and a manually operable actuator bar movable in a straight horizontal line and having cam fingers engageable in said cam slots for bodi- ,65 ly adjusting the anchor plate towards and from the operating connections to vary simultaneously and uniformly the tensions of said springs.

6. In a typewriting or like machine, the combination with type bar actions arranged side by side, each action including a pivoted type bar, a key lever, and operating connections between the bar and the lever, of an anchor plate extending l transversely above and common to all of said operating connections, said anchor plate being 75 mounted to swing upwardly and downwardly relative to said operating connections, coil springs respectively connected to said operating connections and to the anchor plate, a counterbalancing spring connected to the anchor plate, and means for bodily adjusting the anchor plate towards and from the operating connections to vary simultaneously and uniformly the tensions of said springs.

7. In a typewriting or like machine, the combination with type bar actions arranged side by side, each action including a pivoted type har, a key lever, and operating connections between the bar and the lever, of an anchor plate located above said connections, coil springs respectively connected to said operating connections and to the anchor plate, said anchor plate being provided with horizontally spaced upwardly inclined cam slots, counterbalancing springs respectively connected to the end portions of the anchor plate, and a manually operable actuator bar movable in a straight horizontal line and having cam fingers engageable in said cam slots for bodily adjusting the anchor plate towards and from the operating connections to vary simultaneously and uniformly the tensions of said springs.

8. In a typewriting or like machine, the combination with a frame'including a front plate, of

. by side between the front plate and the platen,

key levers, and operating connections between the key levers and the type bars, an anchor plate supported on the frame above the operating connections for movements toward and from said connections, coil springs respectively connected to the anchor plate and to said operating connections, and a single manually shiftable means mounted on the front plate and cooperating with the anchor plate on opposite sides of the center thereof for bodily moving the latter towards and from said operating connections to vary simultaneously and uniformly the tensions of said springs.

of a carriage mounted on the frameand including a platen, a plurality of type actions located within the irame and including type bars arranged side by side between the front plate and the platen, key levers, and operating connections be tween the key levers and the type bars, an anchor plate supported on the frame above the operating connections for movements toward and from said connections, said anchor plate being provided with an inclined cam slot, coil springs respectively connected to the anchor plate and to said operating connections, a manually operable actuator mounted in rear of the front plate for movements in a straight horizontal line and-engageable with said cam slot for bodily adjusting the anchor plate towards and fromv said operating connections to vary simultaneously and uniiormly the tensions of said springs, and a fingerpiece attached to the actuator and operable from the exterior of the frame.

10. In a typewriting or like machine, the combination with a frame including a front plate having a horizontally extending slot, of a carriage mounted on the frame and including a platen, a plurality of type actions located within the frame and including type bars arranged side by side between the front plate and the platen,

3 key levers, and operating connections between the key levers and the type bars, an anchor plate supported on the frame above the operating connections for movements toward and from said connections, said anchor plate being provided B springs, a forwardly extending guide pin rigidly l5 secured to the actuator and movable along the horizontal slot in the front plate, and a ringerpiece rigidly connected to said guide pin and disposed in front of said front plate.

1l. In a typewriting or like machine, the com- 20 K bination with a frame including a front plate, of a carriage mounted onthe frame and including aplaten, a plurality of type actions located within the frame and including type bars arranged side by side between the front plate and the 25 platen, key levers, and operating connections between the key levers and the type bars. an anchor plate located in rear of the front plate and extending transversely above and common to all of said operating connections. said anchor plate 30 being pivotally mounted on the frame to swing upwardly and downwardly relative to said operating connections, coil springs respectively connected to said operating connections and to the anchor plate, and manually shiftabley means 35 mounted on the front plate and cooperating with theanchor plate for bodily moving the latter towards and from said operating yconnections to vary simultaneously and uniformly the tensionsI of said springs.

12. In a typewritingor like machine, thecombination with a frame including a front plate, of a carriage mounted on the frame and including a platen, a plurality of type actions located within the frame and including type bars ar- 45 1 ranged side by side between the front plate and 9. In a typewriting or like machine, the corny bination with a frame including a front plate,

the platen, key levers, and operating connections between the key levers and the type bars, an anchor plate located in rear of the front plate and extending transversely above and common to all of said operating connections, said anchor plate being pivotally mounted on the frame to swing upwardly and downwardly relative to said operating connections, coil springs respectively connected to said operating connections and to the anchor plate, counterbalancing springs respectively connected to the end portions of the anchor plate and to the frame, and manually shiftable means mounted on the front plate and cooperating with the anchor plate for bodily moving the latter towards and fromsaid operating connections to vary simultaneously and uniformly the tensions of said springs.

13. In a typewriting or like machine, the combination with type bar actions arranged side by side, each action including a pivoted type bar,

a key lever, and operating connections between the bar and the lever including a front link, of an anchor plate extending transversely above and common to all of said front links, coil springs respectively connected to the front links and to the anchor plate, and a single meanscooperating with the anchor plate on opposite sides of the center thereof for bodily adjusting the an- 15 chor plate towards and from the front links to vary simultaneously and uniformly the tensions of said springs.

14. In a typewriting or like machine, the combination of a frame including a front plate having a slot, of scale indicia located on the front face of the front plate and cooperatively positioned relative to the slot, a carriage mounted on the frame and including a platen, a plurality of typeactions located within the frame and including type bars arranged side by side between the front plate and the platen, key levers and operatingr connections between the key levers and the type bars, an anchor plate supported on the frame in rear of said front plate and above the operating connections for movements toward and from said connections, coil springs respectively connected to the anchor plate and to said operating connections, and a combined finger-piece and indicator operatively connected to the anchor plate and projecting forwardly through the slotI in the front plate for bodily moving said anchor plate towards and from said operating connections to vary simultaneously and uniformly the tensions of said springs and to cooperate with said scale indicia to indicate the amount of tension of said springs.

15. In a typewriting or like machine, the combination with a frame, of a carriage mounted on the frame and including a platen, a plurality of type actions located within the frame and including type bars arranged side by side, key 1evers, and operating connections between the key levers and the type bars, an anchor plate supported on the frame above the operating connections for movements toward and from said connections, said anchor plate being provided with an inclined cam slot, coil springs respectively connected to the anchor plate and to said operating connections, a manually operable actuator mounted above the key levers and in iront of the platen for movements in a straight horizontal line and engageable with said cam slot for bodily adjusting the anchor plate towards and from said operating connections to vary simultaneously and 20 uniformly the tensions of said springs, and a iinger-piece attached to the actuator and operable from the exterior of the frame.

ANTHONY UTZ. 

